Camshaft adjusters are used for a targeted adjustment of the phase position between a camshaft and a crankshaft in an internal combustion engine. They allow an optimized setting of valve timing via the engine load and the engine speed. In this way, fuel consumption and exhaust gas emissions may be significantly reduced and the power of the engine may be increased.
A camshaft adjuster is generally made up of a stator, a rotor positioned in the stator, and two sealing covers. A number of pressure chambers, also referred to as vane chambers, are formed in the stator, and are separated from one another by webs which extend radially inwardly away from the stator wall. Rotor vanes of the rotor which is mounted within the stator engage with the pressure chambers. For adjustment of the camshaft, the pressure chambers are acted on by hydraulic medium, as the result of which the rotor is rotated within the stator. Spring elements are often used to move a rotor back into a neutral or starting position during operation of a camshaft adjuster. This requires a secure fastening and position determination of the spring element on the rotor and the stator.
Camshaft adjusters are used for adjusting a camshaft which controls the intake valves of an internal combustion engine, and for adjusting a camshaft which controls the exhaust valves of an internal combustion engine. The former are also referred to as inlet camshaft adjusters, and the latter, as outlet camshaft adjusters. Due to their function, inlet camshaft adjusters and outlet camshaft adjusters differ in structural design, in particular with regard to the relative angular position of the locking position. In the prior art, for each type of adjuster it is necessary to provide separate covers which are suitable for the rotor and the stator, and for the particular locking position that is present. The inlet adjuster cover differs from the outlet adjuster cover in that the particular angular positions or positions of the locking slots are associated only with the type of adjuster in question (inlet adjuster or outlet adjuster), or the particular locking bolt position.
A hydraulic camshaft adjuster for an internal combustion engine, including an outer rotor and an inner rotor, is known from DE 10 2012 213 176 A1, the outer rotor and the inner rotor being rotatably adjustable and situated concentrically about a shared rotation axis, at least one hydraulic chamber being formed between the outer rotor and the inner rotor, into which at least one connected vane extends in each case from the outer rotor and from the inner rotor, as the result of which the hydraulic chamber is divided into at least one pressure chamber pair made up of two pressure chambers, the inner rotor having an opening situated concentrically in the rotation axis, a sealing section being formed on the inner surface of the opening between two axial sides of the inner rotor, the opening on both sides of the sealing section having a larger cross-sectional area than in the sealing section, the inner rotor being a sintered component, and the sealing section of the inner rotor being calibrated.